With Christmas memories still warm in our hearts and minds, and the New Year quickly approaching, I have been thinking a lot about this past year. There have been so many blessings that have graced my life. It was this time last year that I started writing Hunter's Blood. Originally a short story aimed at a pitch contest for Harlequin Nocturne Bites, it evolved from barely 10,000 words to almost triple that in size. And though Harlequin eventually passed on it, I was fortunate enough to find it a home with kNight Romance Publishing, and am happy to report that it has been their best selling novella for the past 2 months.
Time rushes by in the blink of an eye, with days often blending one right into another as we go about our daily routines. It feels good to be able to look back and contemplate the paths we have chosen and why, to contemplate where those paths have led us.
This is what I find myself doing today...partly because of the time of year and the success it has brought...but also because today is my youngest daughter's birthday. As most mothers do, I relive the events of the day my child was born, moment by moment, feeling the joy and the pain, the anxiety and the wonder fill me all over again.
On my website I joke that writing a book is a lot like giving birth...just as painful, but a whole lot less messy. I think many of us can relate to that! But whether its the gift of a child being brought into your life, or the success of a book, or the health of a loved one or the everyday blessings of family and friends, take the time to look back on 2010. Hopefully you will find something to make you smile. I did...and I sincerely hope you do too.
Happy Holidays and a Joyous New Year!
Marianne Morea
Hi everyone! I'm counting my blessings even more right now since posting today's blog earlier...
ReplyDeleteWhy? Well, I got a 3 star review posted by a reader on her blog...not bad, right? I thought so too. But when another reader commented that she thought highly of my writing, well, let's just say the answering response from the original reviewer was less than nice. In her response to the other reader she said she was NOT impressed with my writing, that I had just enough talent to get published, but like MOST fantasy authors today, I lacked that something special that makes people be out for blood while waiting for the next book.
I shouldn't be upset, right? After all, we can't please everyone.
But that's not what bothered me. It was the fact that in her initial review she said "don't get me wrong, the story was good" ...but the minute someone disagreed, she shifted gears and went for the throat.
Suffice it to say my little novella is now caught in the middle of what could potentially become an ugly fight... one that no one will win, but from which my book will surely suffer real consequences.
It took a lot of reminding myself of what I have to be thankful for, and remembering the joy I experience through my writing, to get past the insult.
So what's a person to do? I won't respond because it only stirs the s**t more. So I did the next best thing...I said a prayer and gave my kids a hug. Of course, I then grabbed a very large brownie and reminded myself just how HARD it is to get traditionally published.
It's amazing how much chocolate helps. :)